Who remembers the film Sid and Nancy? - YouLookFab Forum

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Who remembers the film Sid and Nancy?

April

Veteran

I have recently started watching it again and am reminded of the dark nihilism, self-destruction, and energetic music of the 1970s punk scene, as well as the sadness of living with a heroin addiction.

But the clothes! The fishnets, the leather, the piercings! Yes, I am trivializing a tragic story by admiring the fashion.

In college in the mid-80s, I lived a block or so away from a punk house in West Philadelphia and I always loved seeing the residents on the street in full attire.

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19 replies

Latest reply was from Janet

LJP

Veteran

You might enjoy CBGB (from 2013, although I just discovered it recently). Really well acted, great music, history etc. The clothes too

Echo

Veteran

YES! I adored that movie, and despite him disparaging the film. Gary Oldman was amazing in it, and the soundtrack was, too. And while there was that dark nihilism and sadness in the film, the Sex Pistols went on and on. It was Sid who trivialized his life, and he became a caricature of himself even before he died.

But I agree about the fashion. Ah, now I want to rewatch the movie and dig out hte soundtrack...

LJP

Veteran

Oops . Sorry double post .

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Haven't seen the movie yet, but just watched the trailer:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TubehkbjOuI

The fashion brings me back to my childhood in the '70s living in British Hong Kong, with its fair share of the punk scene after hours when teens changed out of their school uniforms!

rachylou

Veteran

I remember it a little. I think Gary Oldman just didn’t like his acting and it was Johnny Rotten who thought it all wrong. 80’s England was a blast. I think it had more reason than the American punk scene - which struck me as just mean in a lot of corners. But I don’t know what punk is without the nihilism and despair. I’m told today’s mosh pit - they’ll stop and help you find your glasses. I just laughed at that. Sorta misses the whole point.

Sloper

Veteran

Saw it when it came out, and just re-watched it on TCM (Turner Classic Movies). Gary Oldman - and then in "Prick Up Your Ears" the next year.

Did a semester in London in 1978.

The saying was, "Sid did it his way."

Jules

Veteran

There’s a new series about the Sex Pistols on Disney+ (yes an odd combo) with fun fashion.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

I remember it! It was a really terrific film.

And I named my cat Sid after Sid Vicious. Not the current cat, but the one I lived with when that movie came out.

Sal

Veteran

I watched this film in 1987 on a night that went horribly wrong ending with me climbing out the window of a friend's house to avoid his drunk Dad..... it was memorable.

I remember enjoying it and finding it really sad at the same time.

April

Veteran

Echo -- could not agree more about the soundtrack! So good. Alex Cox did a great job with casting, music, etc.

PLUS - watch for the super-young Courtney Love in a background role.

And anyone who has seen Gary Oldman in both Sid and Nancy and Darkest Hour will ruefully acknowledge that we're all getting older...

Bijou

Veteran

Have not watched the movie, but did watch the TV Disney series recently and it was amazing, not typical Disney, full of sex, drugs and foul language. Vivienne Westwood and the girls in the Sex shop had a major role. Two fun facts, Chrissy Amphlette worked for Vivienne before getting famous and Sid Vicious got his name from John Lydon’s hamster who bit him, his real name was John.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

The Darkest Hour was a VERY good movie!

UmmLila (Lisa)

Veteran

I really liked that movie, and how they recreated the punk scene.

Jules

Veteran

I had to google her but is Chrissy Amphlette the Aussie Chrissie Hynde?! The latter features in the Disney show and worked for Vivienne as well...

April

Veteran

I feel a particular connection to Sid and Nancy because a.) when it came out in 1986, my brother was working in a warehouse that distributed VHS tapes to video stores and since we didn't have cable or many tapes, we watched the ones we did have A LOT.

b.) Joe Strummer, whom we adored, wrote the original music for the film.

c.) Before she got addicted to heroin and entered the punk scene, Nancy Spungen was a college student at my alma mater in Philadelphia. After Nancy's death, her mother founded Parents of Murdered Children.

Echo

Veteran

April, ever since you started this thread, I've had Dum Dum Club playing on repeat in my head. We lost Strummer way too young, though fortunately not to drugs.

April

Veteran

Echo, I ordered a CD of the film soundtrack from eBay - can't wait to hear it again. (Yes, my spiffy plug-in hybrid car has a CD player!)

Can't wait to hear these again:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jkuChJJIc2g

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OLpcyHVhM4U

And yes, Strummer was gone too soon.

My older brother went to a Halloween party in the 80s wearing a Clash tee and walked around all night putting his right hand over his right eye.

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Bijou

Veteran

Jules - you are right, it was Chrissy Hynde!

Janet

(website)

Veteran

Oh boy, I remember watching that movie with one of my good friends, and afterwards we walked down the street to a bar for a drink — a very preppy bar, and it felt all wrong. Too bad we weren’t closer to Club Charles (the actual hangout I preferred in those days, which was much truer to the Sid & Nancy vibe, LOL).

CBGB was kind of fun, but I’ve read that it’s maybe 20% accurate. Some of the casting was great, and some of it bugged me. It’s been a long time so I can’t think of specifics, although I do remember thinking whoever played Debbie Harry was not a great fit. It’s really weird to walk into John Varvatos in the Bowery and show my husband where the stage of CBGB was.